This invention relates to a continuous and automatic washing apparatus and method for washing containers. More particularly, it relates to an automatic washing device and method for washing containers wherein elongated plastic containers can be thoroughly washed by movement of a plurality of rows of semirigid containers over a plurality of nozzle members. The method encompasses the continuous inverting of a multiplicity of containers, holding the containers in a stationary manner while moving several nozzles with at least two separate streams of a washing fluid in and out of the containers with the washing fluid preferably composed of air, water and detergent. The machine best suited for accomplishing this method automatically grips the containers from an upright position and inverts them while holding the containers in a rigid manner during the washing by the nozzle members. At the end of the wash cycle, the containers are returned to an upright position.
The washing of semirigid containers, especially those which are to be utilized as containers for parenteral or body irrigation solutions, poses many problems in that the containers must be completely clean and free of particulate matter. Procedures and apparatus for washing containers for pharmaceutical purposes are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,671, 742 and 3,060,943. Other apparatus for cleaning bottles to an ultraclean condition are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,475,407 whereas U.S. Pat. No. 843,555 is directed to special holders for the bottles in a washing machine and additionally utilizes compressed air to force the cleansing fluid into the bottle. All of the prior art patents are concerned with washing glass or bottle-type containers which in most instances have sufficient weight so that they will be self-supporting and remain in a given position. The type of container which is intended to be washed by the method and device of this invention is described in a U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,187 entitled "Hanger Construction for Semirigid Plastic Container," issued Mar. 22, 1977. It is light in weight and has height much greater than its width to give the container an elongated configuration.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus and method for washing a container in a fast and efficient manner. It is another advantage of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for washing containers wherein each container is thoroughly washed by a combined fluid stream of water, detergent and air. It is still another advantage of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for washing semirigid containers which is adaptable to a high-speed, fully automated filling line. It is yet another advantage of this invention to afford a process and method for washing semirigid containers having an elongated configuration which can thoroughly wash the containers in a rapid manner and can subject each container to several separate washing cycles.